Effect of nasal decongestion on nasalance measures

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of nasal decongestant on nasalance scores for a group of 100 individuals. Forty-one subjects with hypernasality and 59 subjects without hypernasality underwent nasometric assessment at the Hospital for Rehabilitation of Craniofacial Anomalies, University of São Paulo, Bauru, Brazil. Nasalance scores were obtained for each subject before the application of a nasal decongestant and again 10 minutes after subjects received a topical nasal decongestant applied into both nostrils. The nasalance scores obtained after the application of the nasal decongestant were significantly higher than those obtained before the decongestant. Nasal decongestion had a small but statistically significant effect on nasalance scores, suggesting that in some individuals, nasal congestion should be a variable of concern when using the Nasometer. Both nasal congestion (i.e., due to nasal rhinitis) and the effects of nasal decongestant sprays may influence Nasometer test results. Interpretation of nasalance scores, therefore, should be done carefully. Furthermore, nasometry, with and without nasal decongestant, can be a valuable clinical tool for screening anterior nasal obstruction, helping to isolate obstruction due to nasal congestion from structural obstruction in the nasal cavities.